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Lamar Alexander even converted his Prius hybrid to be a plug-in electric car.
Composite image by POLITICO

But Kirwin argues that the conversion of a “drill, baby, drill” presidential nominee to a fuel-efficient automobile owner isn’t as radical as it might seem. “Politicians use their choice of car as defense,” he says. “Republicans will say, ‘Drill, drill, drill!’ and then have an energy-efficient car. Democrats will be almost on the other side. They’ll have a really expensive, almost gas-guzzling car, but they’ll back it up by saying, ‘Look at my policy initiatives’ and they’ll use that as a way of saying, ‘Don’t worry about my car because in the bigger picture I’m fighting to get us off of foreign oil.’”

To be sure, plenty of politicians in Washington seem to drive the car they like. Longtime Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) drive Cadillacs. “No one is going to give you heartache in New Jersey for driving a Cadillac,” Kirwin said.

Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) has a Ford Explorer. When in his home state of New York, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, a Democrat, drives a Cadillac, which brought him some heat last year. When in D.C., he uses his Chrysler PT Cruiser — as does House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.). And then there’s Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who drives a foreign car: a 2003 BMW.

House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Dave Camp of Michigan is still driving what he drove out to D.C. when he was first elected in 1990: a Pontiac Grand Am. “If all Republicans were this frugal,” Hanretty says with a laugh, “we might still control Congress.”

Although Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) doesn’t own a hybrid, he does his part to reduce gasoline emissions by coasting the last mile or so when he’s on the gravel roads around his farm. His cars include a 2003 Ford Taurus (with 88,000 miles on it), a 1998 Ford Lincoln Continental (65,000 miles) and a 1996 Lincoln (95,000). All three were bought used.

If there were an award for the ultimate gas saver on Capitol Hill, it would shared by two frugal members, one from each party: Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). Blumenauer, who eschews driving a car as much as he can, is so emphatic about his bicycle that he’s known to say that he loves burning calories instead of petroleum. And Burr, who famously tools around Washington in a budget-friendly 1974 VW Thing, doesn’t burn much fuel either. “The Thing is a reliable, fuel-efficient car that gets up to 40 miles per gallon,” Burr says. “I have been driving it for over 19 years now and only have to fill up about three times a year. I would never trade this clunker for cash. It exceeds even the new administration’s target fuel economy goals.”

Readers' Comments (24)

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), hailing from the state that has felt the brunt of the auto industry’s pain, won’t issue parking passes to his own staff members unless they drive a car sanctioned by the United Auto Workers.

Here we go. If it isn't the Whitehouse or the Congress stealing individual freedoms, it now the UAW? Folks, if this doesn't scare the ever-loving crapola out of you, you are ready for slaughter. As a former employee of GM (non-union) I can tell you that the last thing you want is the UAW involved in your life. More importantly, the last thing you want is a Rep. who is influenced like this bozo.

Wow, I'm impressed with the number of leaders who have gone hybrid, electric, alternative fuel, highly fuel-efficient vehicles. Very cool. I don't care about American-made or not...that's getting too controlling of individual choice. But alternative fuel and hybrids get a thumbs up!

I'll keep my full 4x4. Besides the room and power, I like knowing that I can keep going no matter what the condition of the road and that if I'm in a wreck I have a better chance of coming out of it with minor or no injuries than someone driving one of those fed mandated pos's..

First off. No one is going to tell me what I will be driving. I drive a Buick LeSabre with over 100k on it. I can not afford a new car and even if I could it would be a full safe car with at least a 6 Cylinder engine. No Tinder box for me. Second Point I would like to make is Cap and trade has been defined wrong. America needs to see A Cap on Spending and we must Trade in all these Congressmen for some change that works for we the people.

We can see all the seven deadly sins in Washington every day

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

I bought a 2002 Corvette Z06 new in April 2002. It gives me 30 MPG @ 81 MPH with the air and CD blasting ! What would you rather drive? A boring little hybrid that gives maybe a little better gas mileage at that speed (assuming it can go that fast) ?

I bought a 2002 Corvette Z06 new in April 2002. It gives me 30 MPG @ 81 MPH with the air and CD blasting ! What would you rather drive? A boring little hybrid that gives maybe a little better gas mileage at that speed (assuming it can go that fast) ?

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), hailing from the state that has felt the brunt of the auto industry’s pain, won’t issue parking passes to his own staff members unless they drive a car sanctioned by the United Auto Workers

At what point will this be read: Rep Joe Stahl (C-mich) hailing from the state that has felt the brunt of (fill in the blank) won't issue credits to the citizenry unless they vote for a Politian sanctioned by the party.

A base Mustang goes for about $20,400 and a base Fusion Hybrid for about $28,000 (according to Edmunds.com), plus a few hundred for an aftermarket AM/FM/CD (a CD player from Ford costs about $2000, with a lot of other crap options thrown in). The V6 Mustang performs quite well, according to Car & Driver Magazine, so the V8 isn't necessary. The combined mileage for the Mustang is 21, and for the Fusion Hybrid, 39. At 15,000 miles per year, it would take 8 years to pay off the difference (7 years for an auto-transmission Mustang). The Mustang is the thrifty choice.

Still, the Fusion Hybrid is a good carbon-footprint-choice.

I'd get a MINI or a Jetta TDI before getting a Toyota Pious. They get 38 and 41 hwy mpg respectively, and without the sanctimony-stigma and that nerd-with-a-vengeance aesthetic. Performance is way better, too. The Fusion and the Malibu Hybrids are both good cars, and enable one to do the green thing without driving around in an "I'm green!" billboard.

By the way, there's nothing INTRINSICALLY inconsistent in having advocated for more drilling and buying a hybrid. It's just a different way of adding up the various vairables in solving the energy problem, long and short-term. We get far too carried away with symbolisms, associations, and other emotional aspects of public affairs. It's sort of like political racism to assume that someone concerned about the environment can't see oil exploration as a good short-term measure. What ever happened to critical thinking in this country?

The moron Governor of Taxachusetts campagined in a little JAP bubble car, then after bullbleeping his way to office with such tactics eschewed the offical State Police Crown Vic and demanded a Caddy. Now they call him "Devalle Deville". Dummycrat mantra: DO as I SAY.

Back in the late 70's a (later found to be a crook) Congressman from New England proudly sponsered a bill to TAX "imported cars". I encountered him at some "show the face" function and said "Tax foreign cars??? that CROWN VIC you showed up in was made in Canada, just like my Volvo" .. he about barfed on the spot and his droid aide had to use the old "important phone call" trick to get him away from the little group waiting for a response. Ya don't get a chance to stick it to these creeps that often in person. (BTW for all you public school NEA morons out there--- Volvo was assembling cars in Halifax at the time- maybe still does) BTW is a Ford made in MEXICO "american"?